The 38th Annual Heritage Place Winter Mixed Sale kicked off with the much-anticipated annual Pre-Sale Party hosted by Heritage Place. Beginning at 5:00 p.m., the Pre-Sale Party is an event looked forward to by everyone in the industry because this is where people mingle and catch up before the 2015 AQHA Racing Champions are announced. The Champion announcements began at 6:00 p.m. in the auditorium and included a webcast for those who could not attend. Chris Kotulak hosted the event while Remington Park Track Announcer Dale Day interviewed the connections of each champion and AQHA Executive Vice President Craig Huffhines presented the awards. Also included in the Champion awards ceremony was a special tribute to G.R. Carter, Jr., who unfortunately could not attend and a special Event & Industry Recongnition plaque was awarded to Heritage Place.

The 2015 Champions are as follows:

2015 World Champion, Champion Three-Year-Old Gelding, Champion Three year old

Val ClarkThe Mildred N. Vessels Special Achievement Award is given to a woman to honor her service to the industry in the past year.

2015 Gordon Crone Special Achievement Award

Johnny TrotterThe Gordon Crone Special Achievement Award is given to a man in the Quarter Horse racing industry to recognize his achievement within the past year.

Congratulations to all of these remarkable individuals and to these incredible runners and their connections.Good Luck to everyone placing their hopes and dreams in their 2016 runners to achieve such lofty goals!Stay tuned in to Speedhorse for more photos from day one of the sale, which begins Thursday, January 21st at 10:00 a.m.